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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.

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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: firm · safe · wind · bass · stock · plane · pitcher · band

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. band — a music group
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. band — a ring
  10. firm — steady
  11. wind — moving air
  12. firm — decided
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stock — shares
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. plane — an aircraft

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