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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — to shout
  5. season — of the year
  6. object — a thing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. field — a subject
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. object — an aim
  17. chest — of your body
  18. season — in sport
  19. field — for sport
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. object — to protest
  24. chest — a box

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