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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: bass · present · safe · cap · craft · band · pop · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — a gift
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. band — a ring
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. present — there
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. bass — the fish
  20. craft — boats
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pop — music

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