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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 120 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: foot · snap · bay · stem · mark · fall · temple · ball

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. snap — to click
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fall — the season
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mark — a grade
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mark — a trace

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