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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 116 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: bank · fork · safe · game · object · march · court · present

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. court — of a king
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fork — in a road
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — a gift
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. game — a match
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — the time now
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. present — there
  24. court — for sport

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