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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. staff — a stick
  7. current — of water
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — child
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stem — to come from
  22. kid — to tease
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — side of the head

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