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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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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: wave · safe · drill · face · bowl · stem · band · cap

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. drill — the tool
  14. band — a music group
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — of ice
  17. drill — army training
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cap — a hat

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