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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: wake · object · kick · board · ground · fan · safe · bass

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kick — in football
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. object — a thing
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bass — low music
  18. ground — a position
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. wake — a trail
  24. fan — to cool the air

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