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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: degree · rest · root · safe · track · fork · chest · stock

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. fork — in a road
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — goods
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chest — a box
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rest — a break
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. root — the cause
  16. degree — temperature
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. degree — from a university
  19. track — a song
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. root — of a word

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