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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: hide · wound · row · cell · staff · court · safe · bowl

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. court — of a king
  4. cell — in biology
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. row — to paddle
  14. wound — an injury
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. court — for sport
  17. cell — a phone
  18. staff — employees
  19. row — a line
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. court — of law
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — a stick
  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