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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. face — part of the head
  3. field — for sport
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. object — a thing
  8. last — finally
  9. object — to protest
  10. field — farmland
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. last — final
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stem — to come from
  16. last — to go on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. object — an aim
  21. vault — a safe
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to confront

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