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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. last — to go on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. band — a music group
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pound — a weight
  13. last — final
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a ring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. last — finally
  24. safe — a strongbox

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