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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stock — goods
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. bay — a horse colour

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