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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. can — a tin
  4. field — a subject
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. can — to be able to
  7. squash — to crush
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. vault — a safe
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. field — for sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. squash — the sport

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