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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. degree — an amount
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. degree — temperature
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. press — newspapers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. field — a subject
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. march — the month
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — from a university
  22. press — to push
  23. march — music
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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