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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 116 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: pit · safe · lie · fan · tube · court · root · land

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — a country
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. court — for sport
  7. tube — a container
  8. root — the cause
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — in a race
  11. land — to come down
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. court — of a king
  14. tube — the underground
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — of a plant
  17. land — ground
  18. court — of law
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  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