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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — a song
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. track — a path
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — shares
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pit — a hole
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rash — a series
  22. stock — goods
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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