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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: wound · stock · toast · roll · club · fine · safe · staff

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — shares
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — high quality
  6. roll — a cake
  7. club — a group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. staff — employees
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stock — goods
  12. toast — bread
  13. wound — an injury
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. roll — a list
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. club — for golf
  24. staff — a stick

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