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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 · jam · rule · safe · net · rush · pitcher · lie

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rule — government
  3. band — a ring
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. net — for catching
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lie — to recline
  18. net — after costs
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. net — in sport
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rule — to rule out

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