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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · game · rush · stem · straw · date · temple · leaves

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — bread
  12. rush — hurry
  13. date — the fruit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. game — a match
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. game — wild animals

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