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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 120 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 · coach · stem · rash · foot · wake · game · bear

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. game — a match
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rash — hasty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rash — a series

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