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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. firm — steady
  5. net — after costs
  6. last — to go on
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — decided
  9. roll — a list
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — in sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. firm — a company
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. field — for sport
  20. last — final
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. net — for catching
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. last — finally

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