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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cap — a hat
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. staff — employees
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cap — of ice
  7. current — of water
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. field — a subject
  13. bound — certain
  14. field — farmland
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a ring
  17. pass — a permit
  18. field — for sport
  19. band — a music group
  20. cap — a lid
  21. current — electric
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. current — happening now

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