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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mate — a partner
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. field — a subject
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mate — a friend
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — music
  18. snap — to click
  19. field — for sport
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rock — a stone
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. calf — a young animal

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