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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. suit — to fit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. field — farmland
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — clothes
  19. field — a subject
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chip — to eat
  23. toast — bread
  24. chip — in a computer

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