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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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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: jam · pound · foot · kick · safe · bass · wake · pit

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bass — low music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — a hole
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pound — a weight
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pit — in a race
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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