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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: court · fall · safe · firm · bank · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fall — to drop
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — for money
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. charge — a price
  11. bank — of a river
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — steady
  14. court — of law
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — for money
  18. fall — the season

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