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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: rule · march · prune · current · shower · stem · safe · wave

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rule — a law
  3. current — electric
  4. march — the month
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. march — music
  8. shower — rain
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. shower — to wash
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. current — happening now
  13. march — the month
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — government
  16. current — of water
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wave — with your hand

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