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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 116 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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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: ball · pop · ruler · mouse · safe · pound · rest · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pop — soda
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rest — a break
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pound — a weight

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