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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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468
Word bank
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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bass — low music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. firm — decided
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — a company
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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