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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. field — a subject
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — a series
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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