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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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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: stem · spring · cap · fine · season · temple · rock · safe

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fine — all right
  7. season — of the year
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — in sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rock — music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rock — a stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spring — the season
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. temple — a place of worship

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