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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · stem · march · chip · roll · safe · tube · mug

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — the month
  6. swing — music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stem — to come from
  9. tube — the underground
  10. swing — to play on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mug — a face
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mug — a cup
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. swing — in golf
  22. tube — a container
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. march — music

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