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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stem — to come from
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. row — a line
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — to point toward
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. face — part of the head
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bank — of a river
  17. face — to confront
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — to paddle
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. tube — a container

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