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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bat — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. band — a ring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mate — to breed
  24. scale — size or range

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