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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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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: key · deal · pit · root · stock · bear · trunk · arm

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. root — the cause
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. key — in music
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — shares
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. root — of a word
  17. deal — to handle
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. key — for a lock
  23. arm — part of the body
  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