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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. chip — for betting
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bass — low music
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rock — music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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