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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · safe · craft · rule · bay · field

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — boats
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — farmland
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. field — a subject
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rule — a law
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rule — government

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