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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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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 · cold · bound · pass · row · court · staff · present

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. present — the time now
  4. court — of law
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. court — of a king
  7. row — to paddle
  8. present — there
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. court — for sport
  12. cold — an illness
  13. present — a gift
  14. staff — a stick
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. row — a line
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bound — obliged
  22. staff — employees
  23. cold — not warm
  24. pass — a permit

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