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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: safe · club · ball · pass · wound · pit · field · snap

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. field — farmland
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a great time
  10. club — for golf
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for dancing
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wound — an injury
  15. snap — to click
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ball — a dance
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — a subject

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