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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 · ball · safe · mug · content · firm · lash · capital

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. capital — money
  3. mug — to rob
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — a city
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. firm — steady
  8. bass — low music
  9. mug — a face
  10. firm — decided
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. content — happy
  13. ball — a great time
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. content — the amount
  19. firm — a company
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. capital — a big letter

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