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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bark — to shout
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. field — a subject
  14. lie — to recline
  15. field — farmland
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — to be able to
  24. field — for sport

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