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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. craft — boats
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hand — help
  12. stock — goods
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hand — in cards
  22. band — a ring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pop — soda

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