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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. firm — a company
  11. fork — in a road
  12. file — a tool
  13. field — farmland
  14. charge — in control
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. charge — a price
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a document
  22. firm — steady
  23. field — a subject
  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