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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — low music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mate — a friend
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bass — the fish

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