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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. key — in music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. field — farmland
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. key — the most important part
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. toast — bread
  13. current — electric
  14. game — a match
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. field — for sport
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. field — a subject
  24. toast — a drink to someone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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