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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
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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: rush · stick · race · root · safe · spring · stock · content

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. root — of a word
  5. spring — of water
  6. stock — goods
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — the amount
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. spring — the season
  18. race — humankind
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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