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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. suit — to fit
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. suit — in cards
  9. march — the month
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. march — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. cell — in biology
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — of a tree

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