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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: rest · wound · safe · lie · field · pitch · toast · mouse

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — a break
  7. field — farmland
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. field — for sport
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. field — a subject
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mouse — the animal

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