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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: foot · wake · court · safe · patient · staff · last · stick

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. staff — a stick
  3. court — of a king
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. last — finally
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. court — of law
  19. last — to go on
  20. court — for sport
  21. last — final
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — out of danger

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