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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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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: bear · stock · arm · safe · fork · stand · court · sharp

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. court — of law
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. court — of a king
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stock — shares
  9. court — for sport
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stock — goods
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — to put up with

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