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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: temple · chip · stem · bound · dip · ground · bark · hide

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bark — to shout
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — to sink
  11. chip — for betting
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ground — a position
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ground — the earth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bound — certain

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