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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: perch · safe · lean · stem · key · march · leaves · fall

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. key — in music
  2. lean — to bend
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stem — to come from
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. march — the month
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. march — the month
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fall — to drop
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. key — the most important part
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. perch — for a bird
  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