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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · mine · safe · game · prune · court · pass · wave

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of a king
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. court — of law
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — for sport
  16. game — wild animals
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pass — a permit
  22. can — a tin
  23. game — a match
  24. can — to be able to

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