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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bass — low music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. clip — a video
  13. stand — to bear
  14. clip — for paper
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. clip — to cut
  17. safe — out of danger
  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