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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.

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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: suit · court · firm · bank · hand · pass · racket · coach

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. suit — clothes
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. firm — decided
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — help
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hand — in cards

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