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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: safe · scale · fork · bulb · court · stem · ball · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — for sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. court — of law
  17. stem — to come from
  18. scale — size or range
  19. court — of a king
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — in music

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