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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 120 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: arm · pop · rash · root · can · pit · stock · wax

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rash — a series
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — shares
  10. root — the cause
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pop — music
  13. wax — to grow
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wax — for sculpting

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