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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: stock · bass · race · bore · temple · fine · cap · dip

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bore — to drill
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cap — a lid
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stock — shares
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fine — all right
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. race — humankind
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stock — goods
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — a hat

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