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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a ring
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. file — a document
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. file — a line of people
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — a weight
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. file — a tool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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