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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: firm · toast · safe · ball · bass · nail · lie · scale

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. scale — in music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — a company
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — to recline
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — steady
  16. toast — bread
  17. ball — a dance
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. scale — size or range
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bass — low music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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