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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — to visit
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lie — to recline
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pop — soda
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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