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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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — a permit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. march — the month
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. staff — employees
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stem — to come from
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mark — a trace
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. staff — a stick
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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