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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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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: bulb · kid · fall · court · stand · safe · nail · ruler

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kid — to tease
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. court — of a king
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fall — to drop
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. court — of law
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fall — the season
  19. kid — child
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — to drop
  24. court — for sport

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