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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stand — to bear
  7. kid — to tease
  8. field — farmland
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — a subject
  13. fine — all right
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. row — a line
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. field — for sport
  24. kid — child

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