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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.

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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mate — to breed
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a path
  11. bass — the fish
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ground — a position
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. craft — boats
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — a song
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. safe — out of danger

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