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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: content · safe · spell · shower · bank · stick · pop · bass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. content — happy
  4. pop — soda
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bass — low music
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pop — music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — to visit
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. shower — to wash
  18. content — the amount
  19. spell — magic
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the fish
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — letters
  24. bank — for money

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