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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: row · stem · safe · face · ruler · land · ground · rock

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. face — to point toward
  4. row — a line
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. land — to come down
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. land — a country
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rock — a stone
  20. land — ground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ground — a position
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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