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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: ruler · safe · squash · stock · rash · drill · bass · ball

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bass — the fish
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. rash — hasty
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. squash — to crush
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rash — a series
  23. ball — a great time
  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