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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: temple · bear · current · stock · stem · hide · drill · saw

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stock — shares
  4. bear — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. drill — army training
  10. current — happening now
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — electric

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