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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: bowl · stand · spell · stem · lie · temple · chest · charge

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chest — a box
  9. spell — magic
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. charge — a price
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. charge — in control
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. chest — of your body
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bowl — to roll

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