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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 120 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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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: cap · field · charge · pop · safe · mark · calf · wind

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pop — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wind — moving air
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — in control
  10. pop — to visit
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pop — soda
  15. cap — a lid
  16. field — farmland
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. charge — a price
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. field — for sport
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cap — a hat

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