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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 · season · firm · cabinet · bear · safe · ground · march

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. march — the month
  3. ground — a position
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. march — the month
  11. band — a ring
  12. firm — decided
  13. ground — crushed
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. band — a music group
  20. march — music
  21. firm — a company
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ground — the earth
  24. safe — out of danger

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