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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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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. field — a subject
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. field — for sport
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — a grade
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. field — farmland
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — hurry

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