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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: pitcher · wave · arm · safe · fan · track · scale · field

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. scale — size or range
  12. field — farmland
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. scale — in music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — for weighing
  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