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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. field — for sport
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. lean — thin
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — farmland
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lean — to bend
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. track — a song
  17. chair — a leader
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. track — a path
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — a strongbox

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