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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 120 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: safe · bound · firm · cold · bass · chest · court · suit

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chest — a box
  4. court — of law
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — to fit
  8. court — of a king
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bound — tied together
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. firm — a company
  17. cold — not warm
  18. court — for sport
  19. bass — low music
  20. bound — certain
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bound — obliged
  24. chest — of your body

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