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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 120 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: ruler · march · spell · safe · scale · stem · cold · rock

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. scale — in music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rock — a stone
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — music
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. march — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cold — not warm
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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