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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · can · coach · court · deal · lie · lash · fall

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fall — to drop
  5. can — to be able to
  6. scale — size or range
  7. court — of law
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of a king
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lie — to recline
  13. court — for sport
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. scale — in music
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. deal — a big deal

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