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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: squash · club · safe · stock · temple · hide · wax · pound

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stock — goods
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stock — shares
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. club — for golf
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. club — a group
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for dancing

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