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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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Word bank
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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: field · net · sharp · deal · foot · mark · cue · safe

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. net — for catching
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. net — after costs
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. foot — a measure
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — in sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a hint
  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