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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: stick · rash · bat · sharp · arm · root · stock · current

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rash — hasty
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — shares
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rash — a series
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. root — of a word
  18. current — of water
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stock — goods
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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