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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.

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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.

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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: lie · nail · rush · safe · firm · file · bass · fan

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. file — a line of people
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — decided
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — steady
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. file — a document
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a tool

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