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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 116 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: hand · scale · stock · straw · safe · deal · rock · root

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — music
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. scale — size or range
  6. deal — to handle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — a stone
  9. root — of a word
  10. hand — help
  11. root — the cause
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. hand — in cards
  22. scale — in music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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