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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: wound · fork · last · safe · lean · row · present · court

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wound — an injury
  4. present — a gift
  5. last — finally
  6. present — the time now
  7. last — final
  8. court — of a king
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — there
  17. last — to go on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — of law
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. row — a line
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  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