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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pound — a weight
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stock — goods
  7. bass — low music
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. craft — a skill
  14. toast — bread
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chair — a leader
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stock — shares

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