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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — a company
  13. toast — bread
  14. last — finally
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. firm — decided
  17. last — final
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bass — low music
  22. last — to go on
  23. firm — steady
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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