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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mine — for digging
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — a subject
  6. bound — certain
  7. can — a tin
  8. field — farmland
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bass — the fish
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — for sport
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bound — obliged
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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