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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: bore · lean · band · straw · bass · rock · mine · safe

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — a stone
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bass — low music
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bore — to drill
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lean — to bend
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. band — a ring
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — music
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lean — thin
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rock — to move gently

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