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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: stock · tube · staff · root · racket · track · roll · net

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. root — the cause
  3. staff — employees
  4. track — to keep track
  5. tube — a container
  6. net — after costs
  7. stock — shares
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. roll — a list
  10. track — a path
  11. tube — the underground
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — of a word
  15. net — in sport
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. staff — a stick
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. net — for catching
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — a cake

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