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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. hand — help
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. field — farmland
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. hand — in cards
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. field — for sport
  24. bowl — a dish

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