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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 · fine · sharp · rash · firm · straw · drill · jam

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. drill — army training
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. fine — all right
  8. drill — the tool
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. firm — a company
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. field — for sport
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. firm — decided
  17. fine — high quality
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. sharp — clever
  20. drill — a practice
  21. field — a subject
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. field — farmland
  24. fine — a penalty

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