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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 120 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: last · stem · wake · safe · swing · mouse · lie · prune

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. last — to go on
  3. wake — a trail
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. swing — music
  7. lie — to recline
  8. last — final
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — to come from
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. last — finally
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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