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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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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: tube · calf · charge · stem · clip · race · wake · safe

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — a price
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. clip — for paper
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. clip — to cut
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. clip — a video
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. tube — a container
  18. wake — a trail
  19. race — a contest
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tube — the underground
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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