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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: bank · spell · stock · mark · staff · mate · date · root

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bank — for money
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stock — goods
  5. date — the fruit
  6. staff — a stick
  7. root — of a word
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — letters
  11. mark — a trace
  12. root — the cause
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spell — magic
  15. mark — a grade
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mate — a partner
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — shares
  24. mark — to pay attention

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