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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: lean · content · root · safe · board · stock · season · face

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. face — to confront
  3. stock — shares
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. stock — goods
  7. content — happy
  8. root — of a word
  9. content — the amount
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. board — a committee
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. face — part of the head
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — to get on
  19. season — in sport
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. face — to point toward

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