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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — to bear
  8. band — a ring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. club — for dancing
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for golf
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rest — what's left
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. degree — from a university
  20. band — a music group
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. club — a group
  24. degree — an amount

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