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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rock — music
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bass — the fish
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a grade
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. field — a subject
  24. patient — a sick person

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