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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: fine · stand · coach · kick · club · ball · mark · court

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. court — for sport
  3. ball — a dance
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stand — to bear
  6. court — of law
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. mark — a grade
  12. club — a group
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fine — all right
  16. court — of a king
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. club — for golf
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. club — for dancing

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