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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · band · stock · bound · ball · deal · fork · bay

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. band — a music group
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stock — goods
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a great time
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. bound — certain
  24. fork — in a road

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