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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. row — a line
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rule — a law
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rule — government
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. plane — a tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wake — a trail

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