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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. cap — of ice
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cap — a lid
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pound — a weight
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. field — farmland
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. field — for sport
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. plane — a tool

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