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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mine — for digging
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — a stone

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