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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · nail · safe · chair · bass · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bass — low music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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