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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: safe · pound · spell · cue · stem · march · wave · rash

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. pound — a weight
  8. march — music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cue — for pool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. spell — letters
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wave — with your hand
  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