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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 · rest · stem · date · march · current · squash · temple

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. date — the fruit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — the sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — what's left
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. march — the month
  17. current — happening now
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. current — of water
  22. stem — to come from
  23. march — music
  24. rest — a break

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