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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: nail · suit · perch · mouse · kid · firm · root · stock

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kid — child
  5. firm — steady
  6. stock — shares
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — a company
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. suit — clothes
  18. root — the cause
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — 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