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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: safe · field · track · ball · nail · fine · calf · bulb

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. field — farmland
  6. ball — a great time
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. field — a subject
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a dance
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. field — for sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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