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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pop — music
  4. roll — a cake
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pit — in a race
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. roll — a list
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. snap — to click
  17. tube — a container
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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