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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — size or range
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — to get on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bank — for money
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — low music
  17. scale — in music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bass — the fish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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