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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 116 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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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: field · stick · calf · pound · safe · fork · staff · rule

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. staff — a stick
  2. fork — in a road
  3. field — farmland
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. field — a subject
  9. rule — government
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. field — for sport
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rule — a law
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. staff — employees
  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