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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pound — a weight
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a document
  7. roll — a list
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — shares
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stock — goods
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. roll — a cake
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. file — a tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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