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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.

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: root · coach · bore · bay · bear · key · shower · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. root — the cause
  3. shower — to wash
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stock — goods
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — rain
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bore — to tire
  14. root — of a word
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bear — the animal

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