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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: racket · temple · pit · wake · rock · stem · band · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pit — a hole
  3. scale — in music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. band — a ring
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rock — music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. band — a music group
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — a place of worship

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