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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mark — a trace
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. firm — a company
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. band — a ring
  12. firm — decided
  13. mine — for digging
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. club — a group
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mark — a grade

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