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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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Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. land — to come down
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rush — hurry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. band — a music group
  12. game — a match
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. band — a ring
  15. land — ground
  16. game — wild animals
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. land — a country
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — to fit

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