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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wound — an injury
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. prune — to trim
  7. court — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. board — a committee
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — a leader
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — of a river
  21. court — of law
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. court — of a king

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