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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. charge — electricity
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. drill — army training
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a grade
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — in control
  11. drill — a practice
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rest — a break
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — a price

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