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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — happening now
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cue — a hint
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cap — a hat
  14. prune — to trim
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — rain
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stem — to come from

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