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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 120 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rash — a series
  3. field — a subject
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — the cause
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — happening now
  18. field — for sport
  19. current — of water
  20. rash — hasty
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  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