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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stem — to come from
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — a straw man

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