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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 120 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: fan · club · ball · bass · ground · chest · kick · safe

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ground — a position
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chest — a box
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — the earth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. club — a group
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. chest — of your body
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ground — crushed
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. kick — in football
  24. bass — low music

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