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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's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. capital — money
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. field — for sport
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. capital — a city
  10. firm — decided
  11. field — farmland
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. board — a committee
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. firm — steady
  24. capital — a big letter

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