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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: root · stock · coach · tube · patient · date · leaves · safe

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stock — shares
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. date — the fruit
  9. root — the cause
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a plant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stock — a soup base
  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