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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rash — a series
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rest — a break

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