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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: court · lie · drill · suit · coach · perch · saw · mouse

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. court — of law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. suit — in cards
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. drill — army training
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — to recline
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. court — for sport

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