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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: safe · foot · suit · race · spring · stem · arm · snap

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — in cards
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. spring — of water
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stem — to come from
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. race — humankind
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. spring — a coil
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spring — the season
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to click
  21. race — a contest
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. foot — a measure

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