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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. field — a subject
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. roll — a list
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. present — a gift
  7. field — for sport
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chest — a box
  14. field — farmland
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. chest — of your body
  19. present — the time now
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. present — there
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a cake
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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