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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rule — a law
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — government
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. toast — the most admired
  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