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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · lie · pitcher · bay · sharp · kid · plane · stem

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. kid — child
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — to recline
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — a tool

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