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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: stand · sharp · root · spring · rush · stock · toast · trunk

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. root — of a plant
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — goods
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. spring — of water
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spring — a coil
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spring — the season
  17. sharp — clever
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — to hurry

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