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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. court — of a king
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. court — for sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. court — of law
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. scale — size or range
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. tube — a container
  20. scale — in music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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