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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.

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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: cell · safe · foot · bank · bay · date · march · field

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. march — the month
  5. field — farmland
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. march — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — the month
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. foot — a measure
  17. date — the fruit
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. field — for sport
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bank — for money

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