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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — a skill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stem — to come from
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rush — hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wake — a trail
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. craft — boats
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. coach — a trainer

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