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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. season — of the year
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rest — a break
  10. last — final
  11. band — a ring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. can — a tin
  17. last — finally
  18. bark — to shout
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. last — to go on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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