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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: fine · field · toast · arm · cap · race · suit · safe

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. field — a subject
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fine — all right
  7. race — humankind
  8. toast — bread
  9. cap — a hat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fine — high quality
  15. field — farmland
  16. cap — of ice
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. race — a contest

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