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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. shower — to wash
  5. face — to confront
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. face — to point toward
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. game — a match
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. shower — rain
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. game — wild animals
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stem — of a plant

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