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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cap — of ice
  4. field — a subject
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — for sport
  13. cap — a hat
  14. content — happy
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. content — the amount
  20. field — farmland
  21. cap — a lid
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stand — for spectators

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