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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: plane · jam · march · firm · court · pitcher · wound · safe

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. plane — a tool
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. court — of law
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. march — music
  13. court — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — decided
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. court — of a king
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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