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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 120 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. hand — in cards
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. field — farmland
  7. cue — a hint
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. field — for sport
  12. cue — for pool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — help
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. firm — steady
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. hand — part of the body

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