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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: safe · mark · saw · squash · date · lean · spell · court

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. court — of law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spell — magic
  13. court — of a king
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spell — letters
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — for sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. spell — a short time

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