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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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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: board · stem · bear · firm · cap · land · temple · rest

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. land — a country
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. land — ground
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. firm — a company
  20. rest — a break
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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