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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. court — of a king
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — a group
  8. march — music
  9. club — for golf
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fine — all right
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a dance
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a great time
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fine — high quality
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. march — the month
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. can — a tin
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — to be able to

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