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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
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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: pound · band · safe · stock · bound · pit · bass · face

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bound — certain
  6. face — to point toward
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. bass — low music
  11. band — a music group
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. face — to confront
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stock — goods
  17. pound — a weight
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — part of the head
  20. band — a ring
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — a hole

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