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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.

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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: bass · arm · fan · safe · pop · rash · firm · straw

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rash — hasty
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rash — a series
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — music
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. firm — steady

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