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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bank — for money
  5. field — farmland
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bank — for money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. field — for sport
  10. wax — to grow
  11. field — a subject
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — a friend

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