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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: shower · staff · march · stem · kick · mug · lean · safe

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. staff — employees
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kick — in football
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — thin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. march — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lean — to rest against

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