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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · staff · bass · pitcher · safe · bat · tube · rash

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rash — a series
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rash — hasty
  12. tube — the underground
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. suit — to fit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. staff — employees
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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