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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. roll — a list
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bank — of a river
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — magic
  15. game — a match
  16. spell — a short time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — letters
  20. stem — to come from
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stem — of a plant

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