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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: safe · stem · hand · present · bank · squash · plane · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. present — a gift
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. squash — the sport
  10. present — there
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. hand — in cards
  14. present — the time now
  15. rock — a stone
  16. hand — help
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stem — to come from
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. squash — to crush

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