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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: safe · arm · bowl · wax · craft · rush · game · bass

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. craft — boats
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. game — wild animals
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. game — a match
  15. bass — low music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bass — the fish
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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