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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · bark · safe · stock · pitcher · temple · bulb · mate

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stock — goods
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mate — a friend
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bark — to shout
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bulb — for light

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