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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.

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: stock · stand · mate · land · rock · rule · temple · last

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. last — finally
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — to come down
  10. stock — goods
  11. stand — to bear
  12. last — final
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mate — to breed
  18. last — to go on
  19. rock — music
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — on your feet

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