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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: lean · wind · hide · safe · leaves · rock · stem · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. march — the month
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. march — the month
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stem — to come from

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