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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
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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: spring · safe · field · root · ruler · perch · dip · date

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — of a plant
  3. spring — of water
  4. root — of a word
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. field — farmland
  8. spring — a coil
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — the cause
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spring — the season
  24. perch — for a bird

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