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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: bass · rest · mine · saw · suit · mug · stem · safe

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bass — low music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rest — a break
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mine — for digging
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bass — the fish

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