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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 120 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: pass · pit · safe · root · field · wound · pound · sharp

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. root — the cause
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pass — a permit
  10. field — farmland
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pit — in a race
  15. sharp — clever
  16. field — for sport
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. field — a subject
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. safe — out of danger

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