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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
YesNo
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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: racket · safe · squash · game · fine · bass · rest · spell

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rest — a break
  5. bass — the fish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spell — magic
  8. squash — the sport
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. game — a match
  14. bass — low music
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. game — wild animals
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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