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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. court — for sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. staff — a stick
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — steady
  11. suit — to fit
  12. staff — employees
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. court — of law
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — a group
  24. court — of a king

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