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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mark — a grade
  3. field — a subject
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. field — farmland
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mark — a trace
  24. field — for sport

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