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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. court — for sport
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chest — a box
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. stand — to bear
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — a song
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. track — a path
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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