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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: rest · firm · stock · toast · race · temple

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. race — a contest
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. firm — decided
  7. stock — goods
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. race — humankind
  11. stock — shares
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rest — a break
  14. firm — a company
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — bread
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rest — what's left

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