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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: ruler · coach · court · hide · net · cap · fan · capital

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. court — of law
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. capital — money
  10. net — in sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — for catching
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — a city
  21. net — after costs
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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