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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 120 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: fan · craft · firm · arm · stand · wax · court · safe

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. court — for sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stand — to bear
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — decided
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — a company
  21. court — of law
  22. firm — steady
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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