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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: march · ground · rush · charge · safe · field · object · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. object — an aim
  4. march — the month
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. charge — a price
  7. object — to protest
  8. ground — the earth
  9. march — the month
  10. field — for sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. object — a thing
  13. field — a subject
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — to be able to
  21. charge — electricity
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. field — farmland
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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