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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
468
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: bass · bowl · present · craft · net · safe · rash · spell

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bass — low music
  3. spell — letters
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. bass — the fish
  11. present — there
  12. spell — a short time
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. present — a gift
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spell — magic
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. present — the time now
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. net — in sport
  24. craft — boats

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