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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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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: stem · stock · rock · rest · temple · stand · cabinet · race

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. race — humankind
  4. stock — shares
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rest — what's left
  9. race — the arms race
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — goods
  12. rock — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rest — a break
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — to bear
  24. race — a contest

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