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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. current — electric
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — of water
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lie — to recline
  20. current — happening now
  21. drill — army training
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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