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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: rest · temple · key · fine · stem · bore · field · march

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. key — in music
  3. field — farmland
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. march — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rest — a break
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. march — the month
  17. field — a subject
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stem — to come from
  20. march — the month
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fine — all right
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. field — for sport

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