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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.

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: ball · suit · bark · rash · tube · nail · bass · safe

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tube — the underground
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rash — hasty
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — a series
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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