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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.

Make a worksheet

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: court · coach · key · object · safe · bass · cabinet · pound

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bass — the fish
  3. key — for a lock
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. object — an aim
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. key — the most important part
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — a thing
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. object — to protest
  22. bass — low music
  23. key — in music
  24. safe — a strongbox

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