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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mate — to breed
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. rest — what's left
  18. vault — a safe
  19. field — for sport
  20. bore — to drill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rest — a break
  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