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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — for a lock
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stem — to come from
  5. field — for sport
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. craft — a skill
  16. degree — temperature
  17. craft — boats
  18. key — the most important part
  19. degree — an amount
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. degree — from a university

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