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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
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: date · stock · tear · temple · leaves · content · stem · roll

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. content — the amount
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. tear — to rip
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stem — to come from
  12. roll — a list
  13. stock — goods
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. content — happy
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — a cake
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tear — from crying
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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