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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
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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: straw · bowl · pop · safe · lean · firm · perch · bass

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. firm — a company
  3. lean — thin
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pop — soda
  6. bass — the fish
  7. firm — decided
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lean — to bend
  15. perch — the fish
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bass — low music
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. straw — a straw man

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