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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: stock · row · stem · temple · swing · fine · bark · staff

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. row — to paddle
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fine — high quality
  7. row — a line
  8. bark — to shout
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. fine — all right
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. swing — music
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stem — to come from
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stem — a stem cell

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