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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 120 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
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: safe · field · fall · bulb · current · court · pass · present

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. field — a subject
  3. pass — a permit
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — of law
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. field — for sport
  11. current — of water
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. field — farmland
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — there
  17. fall — the season
  18. present — a gift
  19. court — for sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — to drop
  22. present — the time now
  23. current — happening now
  24. court — of a king

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