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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: deal · roll · root · stock · net · straw · safe · bulb

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. net — for catching
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. root — of a plant
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a cake
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — after costs
  11. roll — a list
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. net — in sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — goods
  20. bulb — for light
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  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