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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.

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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: file · capital · season · saw · stem · chair · bowl · safe

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. capital — money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. file — a line of people
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. season — in sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chair — a leader
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. season — of the year
  21. file — a tool
  22. capital — a city
  23. file — a document
  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