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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bulb — for light
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. field — farmland
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. staff — employees
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. track — a song
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. staff — employees
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — a path
  20. field — a subject
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. field — for sport
  24. fork — in a road

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