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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 120 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: safe · rule · pitcher · wound · hand · bass · swing · suit

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — in golf
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. swing — to play on
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bass — low music
  21. swing — music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wound — an injury
  24. safe — out of danger

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