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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
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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: kid · ground · safe · coach · face · field · object · last

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. face — to point toward
  4. object — an aim
  5. last — to go on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. field — a subject
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — farmland
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ground — crushed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — to tease
  17. field — for sport
  18. kid — child
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ground — a position
  21. last — finally
  22. face — to confront
  23. last — final
  24. face — part of the head

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