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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.

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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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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: last · field · safe · ruler · court · bank · hide · fork

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — for money
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. field — farmland
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. field — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. bank — of a river
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — a subject

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