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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. field — farmland
  10. charge — electricity
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. charge — a price
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pop — to visit
  16. branch — a division
  17. pop — soda
  18. band — a music group
  19. charge — in control
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. field — a subject
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. field — for sport

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