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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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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: roll · cold · temple · arm · object · stem · pit · swing

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pit — in a race
  8. object — an aim
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — a thing
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — to protest
  18. cold — an illness
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. roll — a list
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cold — not warm
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stem — to come from

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