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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
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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: mug · leaves · bound · suit · court · safe · last · march

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — obliged
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. last — final
  8. march — music
  9. last — to go on
  10. bound — certain
  11. last — finally
  12. court — of a king
  13. mug — a cup
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bound — tied together
  24. leaves — to go away

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