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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: ground · pitcher · mark · temple · wave · present · stand · stem

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. present — the time now
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. present — a gift
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. present — there
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mark — to pay attention

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