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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. drill — a practice
  5. firm — decided
  6. drill — army training
  7. bore — to drill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. firm — a company
  14. bore — to tire
  15. plane — a tool
  16. swing — to play on
  17. firm — steady
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. drill — the tool
  20. swing — music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. field — a subject

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