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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. root — the cause
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — decided
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. band — a ring
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. key — the most important part
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a music group

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