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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: mate · stem · temple · key · deal · straw · bay · bark

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stem — to come from
  5. key — in music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bark — to shout
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. key — the most important part
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. deal — to handle
  19. key — for a lock
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mate — a friend
  24. temple — side of the head

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