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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: last · suit · coach · firm · safe · ball · net · club

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. net — for catching
  3. last — to go on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ball — a dance
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. last — final
  9. club — a group
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. net — in sport
  12. club — for dancing
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — after costs
  17. club — for golf
  18. last — finally
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a round shape

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