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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 120 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: bowl · swing · court · coach · last · current · lie · ruler

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. court — of law
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. swing — in golf
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. court — of a king
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. last — final
  18. court — for sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. last — to go on
  23. swing — music
  24. last — finally

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