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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 120 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
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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: row · kick · temple · suit · stock · wake · tear · mouse

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. row — to paddle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stock — shares
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tear — from crying
  19. row — a line
  20. tear — to rip
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wake — a trail
  24. row — a quarrel

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