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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: field · rash · swing · shower · nail · safe · season · charge

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. swing — to play on
  8. charge — in control
  9. field — farmland
  10. rash — a series
  11. field — for sport
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — electricity
  14. swing — music
  15. shower — to wash
  16. charge — a price
  17. season — of the year
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. season — in sport
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. swing — in golf
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — rain

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