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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — low music
  3. shower — rain
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stock — shares
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stock — goods
  11. toast — bread
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rush — hurry

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