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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · pass · safe · arm · leaves · court · rush · saw

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. field — farmland
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. court — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. rush — hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — of a king
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. field — for sport
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. court — of law
  24. arm — a part of something

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