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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: chip · bat · root · key · staff · straw · pitcher · stock

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stock — shares
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — of a plant
  11. chip — to eat
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — employees
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. key — the most important part
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stock — goods

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