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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
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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: court · safe · staff · plane · hide · net · rash · bass

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. staff — employees
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rash — hasty
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. staff — a stick
  8. net — in sport
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. plane — a tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. net — for catching
  14. bass — low music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. court — of a king
  17. net — after costs
  18. court — for sport
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — a series

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