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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. net — in sport
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cue — a signal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. field — farmland
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. net — for catching
  13. bound — tied together
  14. field — for sport
  15. bound — certain
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — for money
  20. net — after costs
  21. scale — in music
  22. field — a subject
  23. cue — a hint
  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