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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 116 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
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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: march · spring · root · land · can · rush · stock · stand

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. land — to come down
  5. rush — hurry
  6. spring — the season
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. march — the month
  9. root — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — the cause
  16. march — music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. root — of a word
  22. stock — goods
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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