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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · last · march · trunk · safe · mouse · field · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. field — for sport
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — finally
  7. field — a subject
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. field — farmland
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. toast — bread
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. staff — employees
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. staff — employees
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. march — the month

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