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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: court · wake · nail · sharp · pass · fine · drill · safe

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. drill — army training
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. court — of a king
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. court — of law
  9. drill — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — for sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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