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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: swing · toast · stock · drill · nail · temple · trunk · stem

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. drill — army training
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stock — shares
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stem — to come from
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — the tool
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stock — goods
  20. toast — bread
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. swing — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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