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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. field — for sport
  5. bound — certain
  6. saw — the tool
  7. land — a country
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. land — to come down
  15. bound — tied together
  16. land — ground
  17. field — a subject
  18. cue — a hint
  19. field — farmland
  20. cue — a signal
  21. season — in sport
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. season — of the year

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