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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. game — a match
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mug — a cup
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — in a road
  19. court — of a king
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mug — a face

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