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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: stick · can · safe · rest · cap · stem · fine · degree

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rest — what's left
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fine — all right
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fine — high quality
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. degree — temperature
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stem — to come from
  23. can — a tin
  24. safe — out of danger

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