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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.

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: field · swing · mouse · court · coach · toast · bank · cabinet

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. toast — bread
  5. swing — in golf
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. field — for sport
  8. swing — music
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — farmland
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. court — of a king
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bank — of a river

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