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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. face — part of the head
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. face — to confront
  17. bulb — for light
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. season — in sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — goods
  24. face — to point toward

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