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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: stem · foot · mate · craft · mouse · content · safe · bank

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. content — happy
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. craft — boats
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. content — the amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — a partner
  18. foot — a measure
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. foot — the bottom
  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