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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: spring · temple · field · current · arm · deal · safe · court

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spring — the season
  3. deal — to handle
  4. court — of law
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spring — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. field — farmland
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. current — happening now
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — electric
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. field — for sport
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. current — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — out of danger

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