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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — the fish
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. game — a match
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rest — what's left
  11. land — a country
  12. bass — low music
  13. present — there
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. land — to come down
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rest — a break
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. land — ground
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. safe — out of danger

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