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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bass — low music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pound — a weight

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