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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. field — farmland
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. root — the cause
  8. field — for sport
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. field — a subject
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. root — of a word
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. drill — army training
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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