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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 · coach · ground · deal · stock · game · staff · wave

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. staff — employees
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ground — a position
  10. stock — shares
  11. ground — crushed
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. root — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. game — wild animals
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ground — the earth
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stock — goods

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