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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ground — the earth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fork — in a road
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. field — for sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ground — a position
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — crushed
  21. field — a subject
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ball — a dance
  24. field — farmland

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