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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.

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: court · rock · coach · mark · vault · racket · rush · cap

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. court — of law
  4. cap — of ice
  5. court — for sport
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rock — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cap — a lid
  23. court — of a king
  24. rush — hurry

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