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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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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: bear · drill · ruler · safe · court · pass

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. 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. bear — to put up with
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — army training
  9. court — of law
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. court — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. drill — a practice
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. court — of a king
  17. pass — a permit
  18. 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