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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chest — a box
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chest — of your body
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — a company

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