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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. root — of a plant
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stock — shares
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pit — in a race
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. date — the fruit
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. pit — a hole

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