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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.

Words on the sheet
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: spring · bore · nail · chair · wave · staff · court · safe

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spring — the season
  4. court — of law
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. court — of a king
  7. bore — to tire
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — of water
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. court — for sport
  12. bore — to drill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. spring — a coil
  20. staff — employees
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — of the sea

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