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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: kick · tube · stem · mouse · staff · safe · jam · content

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. kick — in football
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. content — happy
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — the underground
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. staff — employees
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. staff — employees
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. tube — a container
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. content — the amount
  24. stem — of a plant

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