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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · hide · stock · game · rush · swing · foot · craft

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. craft — a skill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. game — wild animals
  5. rush — hurry
  6. swing — in golf
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — boats
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stock — shares
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com