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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: bound · field · perch · temple · bass · stem · pit · face

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. face — to confront
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bound — tied together
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pit — a hole
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. field — farmland
  15. bound — obliged
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. face — part of the head
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bass — low music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. field — a subject
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bass — the instrument

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