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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. march — the month
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — a friend
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. field — for sport
  19. march — the month
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. field — farmland
  24. march — music

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