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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ball · pop · stem · lean · pitcher · lie · fan

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — to come from
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lean — thin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pop — soda
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pop — music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stem — a stem cell

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