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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 116 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: safe · band · suit · straw · bound · bulb · firm · bat

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. bat — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bound — obliged
  5. band — a music group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — tied together
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — certain
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. firm — steady
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. band — a ring
  23. suit — to fit
  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