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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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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: ruler · cue · safe · band · kick · march · fine · branch

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — in football
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. branch — a division
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — for pool
  13. march — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. cue — a hint
  16. band — a ring
  17. march — the month
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fine — high quality
  24. band — a rubber band

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