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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · safe · stock · bound · root · spring · fine · clip

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bound — tied together
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spring — of water
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stock — shares
  11. clip — to cut
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stock — goods
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. clip — a video
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bound — certain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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