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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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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: deal · bound · lean · safe · ball · stock · season · root

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. root — of a plant
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stock — shares
  7. lean — thin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lean — to bend
  10. deal — to handle
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. season — in sport
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. season — of the year
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. root — of a word
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stock — goods

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