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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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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: shower · stem · firm · mate · saw · stock · fine · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mate — a partner
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. shower — rain
  7. firm — decided
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stock — shares
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — high quality
  15. firm — steady
  16. stock — goods
  17. fine — all right
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. firm — a company
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mate — to breed
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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