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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: file · bore · bass · spell · rest · row · coach · safe

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bass — the fish
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bore — to tire
  7. file — a document
  8. spell — letters
  9. rest — a break
  10. file — a line of people
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bass — low music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — magic
  22. row — a line
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. coach — a trainer

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