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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: fine · band · jam · roll · safe · firm · pass · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. sharp — clever
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fine — all right
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. roll — a cake
  10. band — a ring
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — a permit
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fine — high quality
  21. roll — a list
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. firm — a company
  24. pass — to spend time

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