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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. net — in sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — after costs
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. season — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. field — for sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. staff — a stick
  22. field — a subject
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. safe — a strongbox

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