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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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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: root · mouse · field · board · safe · nail · content · club

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. content — happy
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — the cause
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — a group
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — the amount
  12. field — for sport
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. field — farmland
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — of a word
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for dancing

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