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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: roll · court · rule · object · can · safe · pass · cold

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rule — government
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cold — not warm
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. court — for sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — to protest
  16. can — to be able to
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. court — of law
  20. cold — an illness
  21. can — a tin
  22. roll — a list
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. court — of a king

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