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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · root · march · kick · tube · bound · rush · stock

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bound — certain
  5. march — the month
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. march — music
  8. stock — goods
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — the month
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bound — tied together
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. stock — shares
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. suit — clothes
  19. kick — in football
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bound — obliged
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — a container
  24. stock — a soup base

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