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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.

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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: bank · stick · chip · stock · object · safe · root · spring

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — for money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — of water
  5. root — the cause
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bank — of a river
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — for betting
  12. stock — shares
  13. chip — to eat
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — for money
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spring — the season
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. root — of a plant

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