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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. face — to confront
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bass — low music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — a price
  11. face — part of the head
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. charge — in control
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. safe — a strongbox

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