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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. field — farmland
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. field — a subject
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. field — for sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. deal — an agreement

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