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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.

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: perch · cap · pound · can · stem · spell · squash · safe

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — to be able to
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cap — a hat
  7. perch — the fish
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — a lid
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — letters
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pound — a weight
  24. spell — a short time

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