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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 116 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
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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: key · rock · safe · content · mate · squash · patient · stem

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mate — to breed
  6. key — in music
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. content — happy
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. content — the amount
  17. rock — music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stem — to come from
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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