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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: wave · rest · saw · date · wake · stem · fine · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rest — a break
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fine — all right
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rest — what's left

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