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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. row — a line
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — steady
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a ring
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bound — certain
  19. firm — decided
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. firm — a company
  22. bound — tied together
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pop — music

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