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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — a container
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rash — hasty
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rash — a series
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a quarrel

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