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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · temple · pit · wake · wave · ruler

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pit — in a race
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wake — before a funeral

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