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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. club — for golf
  4. band — a music group
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. club — a group
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. band — a ring
  18. bound — certain

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