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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
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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: wave · fall · fan · safe · temple · ground · current · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ground — the earth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bass — low music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. current — happening now
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ground — a position
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fan — a supporter

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