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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. club — a group
  3. field — a subject
  4. club — for golf
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bound — obliged
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. field — farmland
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pop — soda
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bound — certain
  22. pop — music
  23. bound — tied together
  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