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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bass — low music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spell — letters
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. season — in sport
  15. spell — a short time
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. spell — magic
  20. rock — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rock — a stone
  24. prune — to trim

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