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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — to fit
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — to sink
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — clothes
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mark — to pay attention

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