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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — finally
  11. can — to be able to
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — a tin
  16. band — a music group
  17. can — a tin
  18. last — to go on
  19. lean — thin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — wild animals
  22. last — final
  23. pass — a permit
  24. game — a match

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