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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · calf · can · rule · field · safe · wound · root

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — an injury
  3. land — ground
  4. field — for sport
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — a law
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rule — government
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — a country
  19. field — farmland
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. field — a subject
  23. root — of a word
  24. land — to come down

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