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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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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: stem · temple · lie · bark · pit · nail · face · firm

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to confront
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. firm — steady
  19. bark — to shout
  20. face — to point toward
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — a hole
  24. firm — a company

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