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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: sharp · board · pass · stick · track · temple · field · stem

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. board — to get on
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. field — for sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. track — a path
  19. pass — a permit
  20. field — farmland
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. field — a subject
  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