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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. field — for sport
  3. object — to protest
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. club — for golf
  8. object — a thing
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. rock — music
  12. field — a subject
  13. content — happy
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. object — an aim
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — a horse colour

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