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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: ball · court · rock · march · safe · lie · cell · stand

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. march — the month
  5. rock — music
  6. march — the month
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. march — music
  14. court — of a king
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. court — for sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. court — of law
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. stand — to bear
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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