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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 116 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 · craft · club · stand · rash · land · safe · suit

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. field — a subject
  3. club — for golf
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rash — a series
  7. field — farmland
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. suit — to fit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. club — a group
  18. suit — in cards
  19. craft — boats
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. land — a country
  23. field — for sport
  24. club — for dancing

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