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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: rash · safe · shower · last · stand · pop · swing · stem

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. last — final
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. swing — music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rash — a series
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — to play on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. last — finally
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. last — to go on
  19. shower — to wash
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stem — to come from
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pop — music
  24. stand — to bear

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