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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: stem · roll · temple · cue · mark · rush · bay · craft

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cue — a hint
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. craft — a skill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. roll — a list
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. craft — boats

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