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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 124 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. 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. squash — the vegetable
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fall — to drop
  6. squash — to crush
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bass — low music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — a position
  13. bass — the fish
  14. ground — the earth
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rock — a stone
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ground — crushed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rock — music
  23. fall — the season
  24. 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