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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: bear · march · club · coach · safe · bass · rush · suit

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. march — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bear — the animal
  17. club — a group
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. club — for golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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