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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: craft · toast · ground · stem · bowl · game · field · safe

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. game — wild animals
  10. craft — a skill
  11. field — farmland
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — to come from
  18. game — a match
  19. craft — boats
  20. field — for sport
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. safe — out of danger

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