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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: nail · safe · lie · pass · bowl · bass · shower · clip

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. shower — rain
  17. bass — low music
  18. lie — to recline
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — a permit
  23. clip — a video
  24. safe — a strongbox

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