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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bass — low music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bass — the fish
  8. club — for golf
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fine — high quality
  11. club — a group
  12. fine — all right
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. bass — the instrument

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