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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: spell · safe · deal · pitch · stem · ball · tear · saw

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — to handle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. tear — from crying
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spell — a short time
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — completely
  17. spell — letters
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tear — to rip
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stem — to come from
  23. spell — magic
  24. stem — a stem cell

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