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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
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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: lean · pitcher · stem · safe · land · dip · hide · pound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. land — a country
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. land — to come down
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. land — ground
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stem — of a plant

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