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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bat — the animal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — low music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. firm — a company
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fine — all right
  16. dip — to sink
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wax — to grow
  20. file — a tool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. firm — decided

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