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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
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: rest · can · scale · spell · field · coach · safe · tube

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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. field — a subject
  4. can — a tin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. field — farmland
  9. tube — the underground
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. scale — size or range
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — a short time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. field — for sport
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. scale — in music
  22. rest — a break
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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