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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. field — for sport
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cell — in biology
  5. field — a subject
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — the cause
  9. club — for dancing
  10. court — for sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. court — of a king
  17. club — a group
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. field — farmland
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of law
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — of a word
  24. club — for golf

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