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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rock — music
  3. spell — letters
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spell — magic
  7. march — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. march — the month
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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