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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: date · calf · pitcher · safe · rule · bass · rest · pass

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. safe — out of danger
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rule — government
  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