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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: calf · bay · snap · bass · bore · safe · band · shower

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bore — to drill
  8. snap — to click
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bore — to tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a ring
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bass — low music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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