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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: calf · field · march · dip · safe · row · date · jam

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. field — farmland
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to sink
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. date — the fruit
  9. row — a line
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. row — to paddle
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. field — a subject
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. march — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — for sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. calf — of the leg

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