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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: rest · pitch · safe · lean · field · foot · drill · lie

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rest — a break
  8. field — farmland
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lean — to bend
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — army training
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. drill — the tool

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