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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chair — a leader
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. suit — clothes
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. field — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. field — a subject

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