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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stem — to come from
  5. drill — army training
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. drill — the tool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. drill — a practice
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. wake — a trail
  14. can — to be able to
  15. craft — a skill
  16. charge — a price
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. charge — in control
  21. craft — boats
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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