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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. spell — a short time
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. staff — employees
  10. field — farmland
  11. root — of a word
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — magic
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. field — for sport
  22. staff — a stick
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. safe — a strongbox

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