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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · bay · temple · dip · straw · season · stock · cap

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stock — shares
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. stock — goods
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cap — a hat
  14. dip — to sink
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cap — a lid
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bass — low music

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