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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: arm · stem · wave · perch · spell · pitch · temple · fine

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. spell — magic
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. spell — letters
  21. pitch — completely
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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