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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bank — for money
  7. kick — in football
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. object — to protest
  14. race — a contest
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. field — a subject
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bank — of a river
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. object — an aim
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bat — the animal
  24. race — humankind

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