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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. field — a subject
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. field — for sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. field — farmland
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — a division
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — of a plant
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. root — the cause
  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