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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bound — certain
  3. court — of a king
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bound — tied together
  8. court — for sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. court — of law
  15. rash — a series
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fine — all right
  24. wind — moving air

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