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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. current — happening now
  9. spring — the season
  10. drill — a practice
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. drill — the tool
  19. spring — of water
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. drill — army training
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. safe — out of danger
  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