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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: bound · field · toast · object · kid · can · rash · fine

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — a subject
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. kid — child
  5. object — an aim
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fine — all right
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. toast — bread
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rash — a series
  15. can — a tin
  16. field — for sport
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bound — certain
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. object — to protest
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bound — obliged
  23. object — a thing
  24. can — a tin

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