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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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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: net · band · safe · pop · bank · roll · firm · track

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — a list
  3. track — a path
  4. net — for catching
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bank — of a river
  12. net — after costs
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. pop — soda
  17. bank — for money
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pop — music
  21. net — in sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. band — a music group
  24. bank — for money

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