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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
Word bank
YesNo
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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 · scale · content · lash · stick · stock · spell · game

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. content — the amount
  10. game — wild animals
  11. spell — letters
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — goods
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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