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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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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: dip · craft · stick · wave · bass · capital · can · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bass — low music
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — a skill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. capital — a city
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. capital — money
  19. craft — boats
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — a tin

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