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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: date · stick · pop · spell · safe · ground · stem · rock

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rock — music
  5. date — the fruit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pop — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. spell — letters
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pop — soda
  17. spell — magic
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ground — a position
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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