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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
468
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: cabinet · hide · pass · band · court · key · object · bulb

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. court — of a king
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. object — a thing
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. object — to protest
  7. key — the most important part
  8. band — a ring
  9. object — an aim
  10. key — for a lock
  11. court — for sport
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — of law
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a music group
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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