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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 · branch · rash · root · pound · press · roll · prune

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. root — of a word
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. roll — a cake
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rash — a series
  16. stock — shares
  17. roll — a list
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stock — goods
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rash — on the skin

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