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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. court — of a king
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. field — farmland
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bound — obliged
  14. field — for sport
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. field — a subject
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. deal — to handle
  21. object — to protest
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — a big deal

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