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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. 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. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a music group
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — wild animals
  7. chip — to eat
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. game — a match
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. band — a ring
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. 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