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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. staff — employees
  5. last — final
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. staff — a stick
  12. field — for sport
  13. can — to be able to
  14. last — finally
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pit — in a race
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. last — to go on
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. field — farmland
  24. perch — the fish

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