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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 120 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: safe · bass · can · band · deal · cap · mug · stock

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. band — a music group
  7. can — to be able to
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. band — a ring
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mug — a face
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bass — low music
  20. stock — shares
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mug — a cup
  23. can — a tin
  24. cap — a lid

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