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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: ball · calf · safe · rush · court · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. court — of law
  6. rush — hurry
  7. court — for sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. safe — a strongbox

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