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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: pop · temple · stem · staff · press · fan · scale · pound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. stem — a stem cell
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pop — to visit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. staff — employees
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pop — music
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. scale — in music
  14. press — to push
  15. staff — employees
  16. pop — soda
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. staff — a stick
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — to come from
  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