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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.

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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: bat · lean · safe · coach · band · temple · jam · race

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. race — a contest
  4. lean — thin
  5. band — a ring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. race — the arms race
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lean — to bend
  15. race — humankind
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. band — a music group
  19. bat — the animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. temple — a place of worship

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