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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.

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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: tube · roll · bay · fan · deal · straw · safe · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stem — to come from
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tube — a container
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. roll — a list
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. tube — the underground
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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