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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.

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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. suit — to fit
  8. band — a ring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. race — humankind
  11. band — a music group
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bound — obliged
  18. race — a contest
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bound — tied together
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — in cards

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