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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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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: net · rule · calf · pit · deal · band · wake · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. net — after costs
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pit — in a race
  10. band — a music group
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. rule — government
  23. net — for catching
  24. deal — an agreement

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