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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: rock · safe · ground · toast · field · saw · drill · dip

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. drill — the tool
  3. field — for sport
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. drill — army training
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rock — music
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. field — farmland
  20. drill — a practice
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. saw — the tool

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