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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: stem · lie · prune · rock · safe · craft · race · tube

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. race — humankind
  3. tube — the underground
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. race — a contest
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — boats
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. race — the arms race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — music

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