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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · chip · saw · stem · court · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. court — for sport
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. court — of law
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stem — to come from
  11. can — to be able to
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. chip — to eat
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. saw — the tool
  18. court — of a king

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