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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: mark · safe · bass · mine · hand · object · pop · coach

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. hand — in cards
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pop — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. object — to protest
  6. pop — soda
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — a thing
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mine — for digging
  12. hand — help
  13. mark — a trace
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bass — low music
  18. object — an aim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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