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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bass — low music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pop — music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. spring — the season
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — soda
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pitch — completely
  22. spring — of water
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pop — to visit

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