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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stem · safe · land · pitcher · stick · tube · ball · toast

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. land — to come down
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — the underground
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — bread
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tube — a container
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a great time
  20. land — a country
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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