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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
468
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: capital · key · can · temple · pitch · stem · bark · pass

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pass — a permit
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. capital — a city
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. capital — money
  23. key — in music
  24. capital — a big letter

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