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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. field — a subject
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — all right
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rush — hurry
  19. field — for sport
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. field — farmland
  24. calf — a young animal

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