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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: tear · court · spring · deal · spell · safe · staff · fall

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. staff — a stick
  2. spring — of water
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. tear — from crying
  6. court — of a king
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — to rip
  9. spring — the season
  10. spell — a short time
  11. staff — employees
  12. fall — to drop
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. staff — employees
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spell — magic
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. spring — a coil
  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