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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  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. stem — a stem cell
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mug — a face
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mate — to breed
  10. net — after costs
  11. mate — a friend
  12. swing — music
  13. wax — to grow
  14. key — for a lock
  15. net — in sport
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. key — in music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. net — for catching
  20. stem — to come from
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wax — in the ear
  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