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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. root — the cause
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — a permit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — goods
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. court — of a king
  20. stock — shares
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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