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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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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: mate · temple · pitcher · object · stem · suit · charge · mark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mate — a friend
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mark — a trace
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — a grade
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. suit — to fit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — in cards
  19. charge — in control
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. object — to protest
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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