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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: cap · stock · rash · safe · band · mate · swing · jam

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. band — a ring
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rash — a series
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — goods
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cap — a hat
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cap — of ice
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. swing — to play on

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