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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.

Make a worksheet

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: band · sharp · bowl · key · stock · row · safe · root

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. row — a line
  5. root — of a word
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. stock — goods
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — shares
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. key — in music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. root — the cause
  17. band — a ring
  18. key — the most important part
  19. band — a music group
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. safe — a strongbox

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