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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · toast · bore · safe · fall · branch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. fall — the season
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bore — to tire
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. band — a music group
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. branch — a division
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. band — a ring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bore — to drill

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