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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: spell · stem · cell · mark · temple · branch · lash · chest

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. branch — a division
  3. cell — in biology
  4. chest — a box
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a trace
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a grade
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spell — magic
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cell — a phone
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. chest — of your body

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