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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
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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: key · court · hand · mark · fan · date · coach · rush

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mark — a trace
  5. key — in music
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. court — of law
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. court — of a king
  17. date — the fruit
  18. court — for sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — help
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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