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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 124 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — farmland
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bass — the fish
  6. roll — a cake
  7. net — after costs
  8. roll — a list
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — in sport
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bass — low music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. field — for sport
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. field — a subject
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bass — the instrument

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