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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: safe · net · bound · pop · band · ruler · perch · firm

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bound — tied together
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. band — a music group
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bound — obliged
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. firm — steady
  13. pop — music
  14. net — in sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a ring
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — a company
  21. pop — soda
  22. firm — decided
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bound — certain

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