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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: ball · perch · fine · bore · rock · temple · content · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ball — a great time
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — a stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — music
  15. fine — all right
  16. content — happy
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. content — the amount
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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