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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.

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: safe · mark · present · court · can · root · field · bat

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. present — the time now
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. present — there
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. can — to be able to
  11. court — of a king
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. field — farmland
  15. can — a tin
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. court — of law
  21. field — for sport
  22. root — of a plant
  23. court — for sport
  24. field — a subject

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