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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: fine · cabinet · temple · stock · nail · stem · ball · saw

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — all right
  5. saw — the tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. ball — a round shape

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