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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 116 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. club — a group
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — in golf
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — to play on
  9. field — a subject
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. club — for golf
  16. swing — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. field — for sport
  19. club — for dancing
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. field — farmland

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