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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: stock · rock · saw · straw · stem · temple · pitcher · craft

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. saw — the tool
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stock — goods
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — music
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. stock — shares
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rock — to move gently

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