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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rock — a stone
  3. object — an aim
  4. shower — to wash
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stem — to come from
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. shower — rain
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. object — to protest
  13. swing — in golf
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. object — a thing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. capital — a city
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. swing — music

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