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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 · firm · safe · craft · bank · ground · nail · fall

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. 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. nail — for a hammer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — boats
  5. ground — crushed
  6. firm — decided
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. court — for sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. court — of a king
  11. ground — a position
  12. firm — steady
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ground — the earth
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. firm — a company
  19. craft — a skill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of law
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. 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