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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
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: can · pit · bass · mate · wound · safe · stand · field

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. field — a subject
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wound — an injury
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. field — for sport
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stand — to bear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — to breed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bass — low music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. field — farmland

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