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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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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: field · firm · foot · calf · branch · safe · tube · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — a company
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. last — finally
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. field — farmland
  9. foot — a measure
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. last — final
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. safe — a strongbox

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