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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
468
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: ruler · stock · racket · safe · date · roll · rock · root

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. root — of a word
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — shares
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. root — the cause
  17. date — the fruit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — a stone
  21. roll — a list
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — music

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