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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · wake · bowl · safe · present · march · capital · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. march — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. band — a music group
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. band — a ring
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — a skill
  12. march — the month
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — a gift
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. wake — a trail
  21. march — the month
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — out of danger

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