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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: band · lash · safe · stock · field · fine · file · jam

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fine — all right
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. field — farmland
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. band — a ring
  24. stock — shares

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