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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 120 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: rest · safe · leaves · game · pop · rush · tube · stock

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — the underground
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stock — goods
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pop — music
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rest — a break
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tube — a container
  17. pop — to visit
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. game — a match
  21. stock — shares
  22. pop — soda
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rest — what's left

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