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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · bass · bowl · game · rule · can

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rule — government
  3. can — a tin
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — low music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bass — the fish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rule — a law
  16. can — a tin
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. game — wild animals

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