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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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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: pass · snap · safe · bank · band · staff · row · chair

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. row — a line
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pass — a permit
  8. band — a ring
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. staff — employees
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — a leader
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. staff — a stick
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — to paddle
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to click
  24. bank — of a river

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