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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. land — a country
  3. field — a subject
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — for sport
  6. land — ground
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a path
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. field — farmland
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. track — to keep track
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. land — to come down
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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