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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wax · fork · bowl · firm · chair · bass · ball · safe

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bass — the fish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ball — a great time
  13. firm — steady
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ball — a dance
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bass — low music
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — decided
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — a company
  24. wax — in the ear

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