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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 · wax · press · field · patient · foot · date · saw

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. press — newspapers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. foot — a measure
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. press — a publisher
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — to push
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. field — a subject
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. field — farmland
  22. wax — to grow
  23. date — the fruit
  24. foot — the bottom

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