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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: mark · fall · coach · safe · court · fork · pit · roll

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pit — a hole
  3. court — of law
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. court — of a king
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. roll — a list
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pit — in a race
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fork — in a road
  15. roll — a cake
  16. fall — to drop
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fall — the season
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — for sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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