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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.

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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: stand · stem · can · rest · temple · arm · row · track

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. can — a tin
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. row — a line
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. track — a path
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — to be able to
  20. track — a song
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  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