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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: bear · wound · court · safe · fine · rock · rest · arm

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rock — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rest — a break
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — of law
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. court — for sport
  23. arm — a part of something
  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