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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: temple · stock · pit · mug · stem · drill · rock · row

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. row — a line
  8. mug — a face
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — in a race
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rock — music
  14. row — to paddle
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stock — goods
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stock — shares
  20. mug — a cup
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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