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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: straw · stand · key · rush · band · safe · bass · root

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. key — for a lock
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. key — in music
  10. root — of a word
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bass — low music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. root — the cause
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. straw — a straw man

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