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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · bass · straw · safe · toast · fan · season · chair

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. toast — bread
  5. chair — a leader
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. season — in sport
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. object — to protest
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. season — of the year
  16. bass — the fish
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. object — a thing
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. object — an aim
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bass — low music

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