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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · ball · rash · pit · firm · row · bear · safe

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — a company
  3. ball — a dance
  4. firm — decided
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. field — for sport
  13. firm — steady
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. row — to paddle
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. row — a line
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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