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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: calf · mouse · stock · rush · safe · capital · root · tube

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — a container
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. root — of a word
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. capital — money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. capital — a city
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. root — the cause
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. calf — of the leg

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