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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
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: pass · prune · cue · straw · spring · safe · pop · stem

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. pop — to visit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cue — for pool
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — the season
  8. pop — soda
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spring — of water
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pop — music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cue — a signal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cue — a hint
  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