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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pop — music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cap — a lid
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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