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

Word bank: temple · club · toast · press · stem · nail

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. club — for dancing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stem — to come from
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — a group
  12. press — to push
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer

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