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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. field — for sport
  3. rule — a law
  4. field — a subject
  5. content — the amount
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. content — happy
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. scale — size or range
  12. club — for dancing
  13. field — farmland
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rule — government
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. club — for golf
  22. mug — to rob
  23. scale — in music
  24. mug — a face

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