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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. field — a subject
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. field — farmland
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a dance
  20. field — for sport
  21. firm — decided
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. can — to be able to

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