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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bank — for money
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. scale — in music
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — of a river
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — a subject
  11. snap — to click
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. scale — size or range

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