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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. face — to confront
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mate — to breed
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — in a road
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. can — a tin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. patient — a sick person

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