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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mug — a cup
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mug — a face
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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