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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: kid · lash · present · field · fine · safe · season · bass

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. field — farmland
  8. fine — all right
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. field — a subject
  12. present — there
  13. field — for sport
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. kid — child
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. present — a gift
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kid — to tease
  22. season — in sport
  23. present — the time now
  24. lash — to lash out

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