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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stem — to come from
  3. suit — in cards
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bank — of a river
  8. suit — clothes
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — electric
  12. pass — a permit
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. current — of water
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. degree — an amount
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bank — for money
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bank — for money

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