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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: safe · lie · cue · field · pitcher · bark · dip · bore

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. lie — to recline
  3. field — a subject
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bore — to tire
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cue — a hint
  12. field — farmland
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — to drill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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