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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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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: stick · coach · court · date · lean · saw · suit · can

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. suit — clothes
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. can — to be able to
  14. date — the fruit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. suit — to fit
  22. court — of law
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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