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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bound — certain
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ground — crushed
  6. root — the cause
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — a position
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bound — tied together
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. ground — the earth

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