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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. field — for sport
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. can — a tin
  5. chair — a leader
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. field — farmland
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rock — music
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. field — a subject
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — to be able to

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