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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. band — a ring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. band — a music group
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — a match
  19. bass — the fish
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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