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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: plane · club · temple · track · stem · safe · arm · straw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. club — a group
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — a path
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. plane — a tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. club — for dancing
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. club — for golf
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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