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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. toast — bread
  3. present — the time now
  4. roll — a cake
  5. present — there
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stock — shares
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. present — a gift
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. roll — a list
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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