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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.

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 · perch · mug · mine · drill · rest · safe · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. drill — a practice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mine — for digging
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — a face
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rest — a break
  13. drill — the tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bass — the fish
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. drill — army training
  23. perch — the fish
  24. safe — a strongbox

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