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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. chest — a box
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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