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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: spell · bass · deal · kid · coach · straw · court · suit

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. court — of law
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. court — of a king
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — letters
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — child
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — low music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. kid — to tease
  16. suit — clothes
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — for sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — magic
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. deal — to handle

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