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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pop — music
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rest — what's left

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