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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: stem · lie · arm · stick · safe · hide · jam · fine

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fine — all right
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — part of the body

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