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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wake — a trail
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — music
  8. branch — a division
  9. club — a group
  10. bank — of a river
  11. game — a match
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pop — to visit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. game — wild animals
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pop — soda
  24. cell — a phone

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