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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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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: club · safe · stem · mark · arm · row · fall · wake

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wake — a trail
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. club — a group
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stem — to come from
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mark — a trace
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. club — for dancing
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. club — for golf

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