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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: tube · court · foot · staff · rock · jam · safe · spell

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. staff — employees
  4. spell — magic
  5. court — of a king
  6. tube — the underground
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — a stone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. tube — a container
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. spell — a short time
  14. court — of law
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — a stick
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. spell — letters
  23. rock — music
  24. tube — in a tire

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