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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · root · charge · content · present · stock · degree · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — of a word
  6. charge — in control
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. content — happy
  9. present — the time now
  10. charge — a price
  11. firm — a company
  12. root — the cause
  13. stock — shares
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. degree — an amount
  16. content — the amount
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. degree — from a university
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — there
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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