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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: row · roll · safe · jam · charge · bore · bear · bass

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — a list
  10. charge — in control
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the fish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — a price
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. row — a line
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. row — a quarrel

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