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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. band — a ring
  3. bound — certain
  4. rock — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. scale — in music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. band — a music group
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. scale — size or range
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bound — obliged

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