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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pop — soda
  4. pit — in a race
  5. field — farmland
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pop — to visit
  12. field — for sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pop — music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pit — a hole
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. plane — a tool
  24. field — a subject

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