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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: chair · rock · bowl · patient · safe · stock · root · key

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stock — shares
  8. chair — a leader
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — goods
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. key — in music
  24. rock — to move gently

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