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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: mouse · temple · charge · stem · plane · arm · march · row

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. march — music
  15. charge — in control
  16. stem — to come from
  17. march — the month
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. row — to paddle

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