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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: pit · field · cue · bowl · safe · stem · arm · roll

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — a subject
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stem — to come from
  12. field — farmland
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. roll — a list
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pit — a hole

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