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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · safe · cabinet · fan · roll · lie · present · bay

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. present — a gift
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. field — farmland
  6. roll — a list
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — the time now
  12. field — a subject
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. field — for sport
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. present — there
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — to recline

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