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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.

Make a worksheet

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: field · root · safe · board · pitcher · fork · wax · court

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. field — a subject
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — to get on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. field — for sport
  24. board — a committee

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