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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bass — low music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. scale — size or range
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a ring
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. game — wild animals
  15. band — a music group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — in music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wave — with your hand

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