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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. march — the month
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. staff — a stick
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. staff — employees
  16. march — the month
  17. drill — a practice
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. march — music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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