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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. net — in sport
  4. band — a ring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — for catching
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — humankind
  16. net — after costs
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — to come from
  24. leaves — lets stay

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