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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — decided
  5. file — a document
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — the amount
  10. march — the month
  11. file — a tool
  12. march — music
  13. file — a line of people
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — the month
  16. content — happy
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  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