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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 120 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.

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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: wave · game · safe · charge · stock · arm · bass · bound

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bound — tied together
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. charge — electricity
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bass — low music
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — goods
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bound — obliged
  21. game — a match
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bound — certain
  24. wave — with your hand

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