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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. row — to paddle
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rest — a break
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rest — what's left

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