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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: perch · temple · stem · nail · mark · ruler · coach · pass

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stem — to come from
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stem — a stem cell

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