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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: bear · stock · root · chair · safe · pass · straw · content

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. root — the cause
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stock — goods
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. content — happy
  18. chair — a leader
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a word
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. content — the amount

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