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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. band — a music group
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. band — a ring
  13. stem — to come from
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mate — a partner
  24. cap — of ice

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