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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fine — all right
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rest — what's left
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bound — certain
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — a break
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. band — a ring
  24. fine — high quality

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