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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: fine · rule · season · court · board · straw · cabinet · safe

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. rule — a law
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fine — high quality
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. court — of law
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — all right
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. court — for sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — to get on
  23. court — of a king
  24. rule — government

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