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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: sharp · cabinet · kid · key · coach · bank · jam · ball

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. key — for a lock
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bank — of a river
  13. sharp — clever
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — child
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bank — for money
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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