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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.

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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: mark · face · ball · march · fork · temple · stem · racket

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. march — the month
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fork — in a road
  6. march — music
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. march — the month
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stem — to come from
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mark — a trace
  23. face — to confront
  24. ball — a great time

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