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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: rock · plane · stock · lash · temple · toast · prune · fall

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rock — music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — bread
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. temple — side of the head

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