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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: hide · cabinet · pound · stem · cap · date · object · safe

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. object — a thing
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — a hat
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. object — an aim
  16. pound — a weight
  17. date — the fruit
  18. object — to protest
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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