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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · stand · mark · land · bowl · scale · craft · court

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. craft — boats
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. court — for sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — a trace
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — to come down
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. scale — in music
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. land — a country
  24. court — of a king

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