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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. file — a tool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — to bear
  7. field — farmland
  8. object — a thing
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rock — a stone
  14. file — a document
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. object — to protest
  17. field — for sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. field — a subject
  22. rock — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — in a race

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