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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. field — farmland
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. branch — a division
  6. field — a subject
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. row — a line
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. field — for sport
  17. perch — the fish
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wax — to grow

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