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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 · bat · pitcher · temple · plane · nail · fall · pop

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — goods
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. stock — shares
  24. temple — a place of worship

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