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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — in music
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. season — of the year
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. field — a subject
  14. season — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. net — after costs
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. dip — to sink
  20. row — a line
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. dip — a sauce

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