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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pop — soda
  10. drill — army training
  11. spring — a coil
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. tube — a container
  14. spring — the season
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bass — the fish
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pop — music
  21. spring — of water
  22. bass — low music
  23. drill — the tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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