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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. court — of a king
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cue — for pool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. court — for sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. court — of law

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