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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: safe · bass · bowl · game · rule · can · bark · row

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. game — wild animals
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bass — low music
  18. rule — government
  19. row — a line
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. game — a match
  24. can — a tin

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