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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.

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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: pop · temple · vault · lie · stock · club · pit · stem

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. club — a group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — soda
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stock — shares
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — to come from
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — for golf
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pop — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pop — to visit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lie — to recline

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