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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: bass · face · bay · temple · bore · stock · shower · mug

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. shower — to wash
  2. stock — shares
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bore — to drill
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — a face
  10. stock — goods
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. shower — rain
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mug — a cup
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bass — low music
  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