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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: sharp · safe · roll · pound · wave · band · ground · jam

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ground — the earth
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. band — a ring
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. roll — a list
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. band — a music group
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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