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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bass — low music
  4. fall — the season
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — a series
  9. mate — to breed
  10. tube — a container
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mate — a friend
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rock — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fall — to drop
  24. tube — the underground

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