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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.

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: plane · cue · rest · stock · stem · bass · temple · lean

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cue — a signal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — thin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bass — low music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stock — shares
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lean — to bend

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