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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: file · hand · rest · roll · rock · safe · bass · pound

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rest — a break
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — low music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pound — a weight
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — music
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. hand — help
  20. rest — what's left
  21. roll — a list
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hand — in cards

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