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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: prune · stock · temple · deal · cell · kick

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. kick — in football
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — to handle
  8. prune — to trim
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — to trim

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