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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — a hat
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stem — to come from
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. roll — a list

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