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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 116 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: calf · safe · net · stem · march · firm · tube · band

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. march — the month
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. tube — a container
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. net — for catching
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — the month
  21. net — in sport
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. net — after costs
  24. safe — out of danger

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