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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: kick · perch · band · safe · key · dip · stem · hide

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a music group
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stem — to come from
  18. dip — to sink
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  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