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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · fine · field · safe · calf · pit · deal · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. field — for sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. field — a subject
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fine — high quality
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fine — all right
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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