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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pop — soda
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pop — music
  12. band — a ring
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — to visit
  15. spell — letters
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. band — a music group
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bass — the fish

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