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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to click
  7. band — a music group
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mate — a partner
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rule — a law
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rule — government

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