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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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Word bank
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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: ball · pass · stem · present · mark · chest · current · temple

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. current — happening now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — of water
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stem — to come from
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — the time now
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mark — a trace
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. present — there
  23. mark — a grade
  24. current — electric

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