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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · roll · stem · wound · track · ball · firm · temple

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. track — a path
  7. ball — a dance
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — steady
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. track — to keep track
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. firm — decided
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — a company

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