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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.

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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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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: kick · mouse · coach · fork · bass · court · bay · racket

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. court — of law
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. court — of a king
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — low music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. court — for sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fork — in a road
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mouse — the animal

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