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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. row — to paddle
  4. field — farmland
  5. root — of a plant
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. root — of a word
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — a subject
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — the cause
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pit — in a race
  18. field — for sport

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