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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: mug · fan · snap · rest · club · root · stock · safe

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. root — the cause
  3. mug — a cup
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rest — a break
  9. stock — goods
  10. root — of a word
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. club — for golf
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stock — shares
  15. snap — to click
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fan — a supporter

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