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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chair — a leader
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. field — a subject
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. march — the month
  18. staff — employees
  19. field — farmland
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. field — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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