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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: fine · rock · root · field · mate · rest · safe · arm

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — a stone
  4. root — of a word
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. fine — high quality
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — a break
  12. mate — a friend
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. field — a subject
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — to breed
  20. field — for sport
  21. fine — all right
  22. rock — music
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — a strongbox

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