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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 120 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: temple · stem · cap · wave · current · spell · band · patient

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. spell — a short time
  3. band — a ring
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. band — a music group
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — of water
  13. stem — to come from
  14. spell — letters
  15. current — happening now
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. current — electric
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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