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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: root · deal · pitcher · staff · stock · patient · net · lean

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lean — to bend
  10. staff — a stick
  11. net — for catching
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — of a word
  15. stock — goods
  16. root — the cause
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. staff — employees
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — a big deal

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