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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · spell · season · deal · lean · stem · squash · tube

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. season — in sport
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lean — thin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. spell — letters
  7. squash — to crush
  8. spell — magic
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lean — to bend
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. tube — the underground
  15. spell — a short time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. squash — the sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. tube — a container
  23. stem — of a plant
  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