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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: temple · stem · suit · bay · object · land · stock · arm

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — shares
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. suit — in cards
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — goods
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. land — ground
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — to fit
  24. object — to protest

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