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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: cell · prune · stock · temple · date · suit · field · bay

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stock — goods
  3. date — the fruit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cell — a phone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. field — a subject
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. field — farmland
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cell — in biology
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. field — for sport

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