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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.

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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: mug · bark · wave · bass · present · club · safe · perch

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bass — low music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the fish
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. present — a gift
  13. mug — a cup
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — of the sea

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