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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chest — a box
  4. mate — a friend
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stem — to come from
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bank — for money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rock — music

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