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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 · pass · mug · bass · stock · stick · wind · hide

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — shares
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — a face
  20. stock — goods
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pass — a permit
  24. root — the cause

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