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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 116 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: calf · bass · plane · snap · mine · suit · safe · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bass — the fish
  3. suit — clothes
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. snap — to click
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bass — low music
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bass — the instrument

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