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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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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 · fall · content · bay · safe · scale · hide · fork

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. scale — in music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — the season
  9. content — happy
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — size or range
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. content — the amount
  24. fork — a garden tool

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