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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: stem · tear · arm · temple · suit · stock · firm · tube

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. suit — clothes
  5. firm — steady
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. tube — the underground
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. tear — to rip
  13. firm — a company
  14. stem — to come from
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stock — shares
  17. tear — from crying
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — a container
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — decided
  24. suit — to fit

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