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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: lie · court · clip · bear · safe · foot · firm · mate

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mate — a partner
  4. firm — steady
  5. court — of law
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. court — for sport
  12. firm — decided
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. clip — a video
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — of a king
  19. clip — to cut
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. firm — a company
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — the animal

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