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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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · trunk · scale · safe · court · lie · fan · jam

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — to recline
  19. scale — in music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. scale — size or range
  22. court — of a king
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fan — a supporter

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