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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: mug · chair · lash · spell · court · stand · nail · cap

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. cap — a lid
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spell — a short time
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. spell — letters
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. court — for sport
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. court — of law
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a cup
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — a face
  24. lash — an eyelash

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