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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.

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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: stem · rest · wake · cap · wave · track · temple · chip

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cap — a hat
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rest — a break
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. track — a path
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cap — of ice

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