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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 · saw · leaves · racket · band · suit · ground · march

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. band — a music group
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ground — crushed
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. band — a ring
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — a position
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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