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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: foot · file · safe · mug · bass · bay · mine · cell

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — a face
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — a cup
  7. file — a document
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. file — a tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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