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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: pit · temple · rest · cue · present · stock · branch · rock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. branch — a division
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stock — shares
  7. present — there
  8. pit — in a race
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stock — goods
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rest — a break
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. present — a gift

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