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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — a law
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. firm — decided
  15. rule — government
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — a match
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — a company

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