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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: land · band · arm · charge · prune · rock · safe · face

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. land — a country
  4. band — a ring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. face — to point toward
  8. prune — to trim
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rock — music
  11. land — to come down
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. face — to confront
  15. charge — electricity
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — a stone
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a music group
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. land — ground

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