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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: cabinet · straw · wave · spell · file · safe · stem · pop

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. file — a document
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pop — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. spell — letters
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. safe — a strongbox

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