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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: rest · net · scale · charge · band · row · safe · mug

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. charge — in control
  3. band — a music group
  4. row — to paddle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mug — a face
  7. charge — a price
  8. row — a line
  9. scale — size or range
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rest — a break
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mug — to rob
  14. scale — in music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rest — what's left
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mug — a cup

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