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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — boats
  13. drill — army training
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — a practice
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — a skill

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