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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · plane · pop · press · stem · game · safe · cap

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. game — a match
  5. pop — soda
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cap — a lid
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stem — to come from
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. press — newspapers
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cap — of ice

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