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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. file — a tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — to tire
  9. file — a document
  10. mate — a partner
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bass — low music
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. season — of the year
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mate — to breed
  23. season — in sport
  24. dip — a sauce

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