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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. land — a country
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stand — to bear
  11. field — farmland
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. field — for sport
  16. roll — a list
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. field — a subject
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. land — to come down

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