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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. field — a subject
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fine — high quality
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. field — farmland
  11. rash — a series
  12. lie — to recline
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stem — to come from
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. field — for sport
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lie — an untruth

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