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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 120 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: cap · file · stem · temple · spell · key · kick · can

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cap — a lid
  8. spell — a short time
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cap — a hat
  12. can — a tin
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. spell — letters
  15. file — a document
  16. spell — magic
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. file — a tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stem — to come from

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