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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 · mouse · field · stock · calf · bat · racket · prune

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — shares
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — a subject
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. field — for sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — a soup base

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