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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · safe · current · bass · pit · rash · wind · object

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — a thing
  9. wind — moving air
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fine — all right
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bass — low music
  19. rash — a series
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. current — of water
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wind — to turn a key

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