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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rock — music
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rock — a stone
  10. present — a gift
  11. field — a subject
  12. toast — bread
  13. present — the time now
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. field — for sport
  19. ball — a great time
  20. present — there
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. field — farmland

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