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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bound — tied together
  4. object — an aim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. field — for sport
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — to get on
  15. field — a subject
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. row — a line
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — to paddle
  22. board — a committee
  23. field — farmland
  24. row — a quarrel

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