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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. charge — in control
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. band — a music group
  8. cold — not warm
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cold — an illness
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — in golf
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — a price
  24. ruler — for measuring

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