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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: safe · roll · bound · sharp · stand · bowl · track · court

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. court — for sport
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. track — a path
  7. court — of law
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. court — of a king
  11. roll — a list
  12. bound — tied together
  13. sharp — clever
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — to bear
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bound — certain
  24. bowl — a football final

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