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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.

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: cell · club · date · season · ball · coach · stand · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cell — in biology
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stand — to bear
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cell — a phone
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. date — the fruit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. club — for golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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