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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. 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. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. field — farmland
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. 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