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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: jam · lie · face · safe · kick · field · pass · sharp

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. field — farmland
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lie — to recline
  9. field — a subject
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pass — a permit
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. sharp — clever
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. face — part of the head
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kick — in football

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