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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. club — for dancing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. club — for golf
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — for sport
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. club — a group
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. scale — size or range

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