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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: safe · rock · fan · cap · staff · track · prune · stem

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cap — of ice
  4. staff — employees
  5. cap — a lid
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — a song
  10. staff — employees
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a path
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — to come from
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — the fruit

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