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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — the underground
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — the fish
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — all right
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pop — soda
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wound — an injury

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