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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: pound · root · row · key · lie · staff · tube · stock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lie — to recline
  3. tube — a container
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — shares
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. row — a line
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — the most important part
  19. tube — the underground
  20. row — to paddle
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — for a lock
  24. root — of a plant

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