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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. firm — steady
  3. pit — a hole
  4. chip — to eat
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. firm — a company
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. field — farmland
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chip — for betting
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. field — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. firm — decided

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