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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. roll — a cake
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. roll — a list
  8. tube — a container
  9. chip — to eat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. land — a country
  14. band — a ring
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — a grade
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. tube — the underground
  24. band — a music group

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