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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — from a university
  7. net — in sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. net — after costs
  11. band — a music group
  12. net — for catching
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. degree — an amount
  23. band — a ring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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