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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: band · arm · game · safe · prune · firm · can · lean

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. firm — a company
  8. can — to be able to
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. firm — decided
  17. band — a music group
  18. can — a tin
  19. game — wild animals
  20. band — a ring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. arm — a part of something
  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