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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. scale — in music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bass — low music
  21. mate — a friend
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mate — to breed

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