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

Word bank: jam · stem · clip · pass · race · ruler · safe · tube

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. clip — to cut
  8. tube — a container
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — a video
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pass — a permit
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. clip — for paper
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  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