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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitch — completely
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bark — to shout
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. scale — in music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pit — a hole

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