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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 116 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. staff — employees
  7. field — farmland
  8. press — to push
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. staff — employees
  11. track — a song
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mark — a trace
  14. press — newspapers
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bound — tied together
  20. field — a subject
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — a path
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. safe — out of danger

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