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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. land — ground
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. band — a music group
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. firm — a company
  9. face — to confront
  10. ground — the earth
  11. face — to point toward
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ground — crushed
  14. band — a ring
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. staff — employees
  18. land — to come down
  19. bank — of a river
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. ground — a position
  24. face — part of the head

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