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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: file · bear · game · stick · temple · stem · suit · field

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — a match
  3. file — a document
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. field — a subject
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. field — farmland
  13. file — a tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. game — wild animals
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. field — for sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. suit — to fit
  24. temple — a place of worship

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