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

Word bank: saw · safe · field · root · squash · toast · foot · fork

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. root — of a word
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. field — a subject
  15. toast — bread
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. field — for sport

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