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

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. roll — a cake
  6. march — music
  7. band — a music group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. march — the month
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. roll — a list
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. march — the month
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. band — a ring

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