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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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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: stick · court · firm · mark · mine · mouse · coach · wind

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. court — of law
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. court — of a king
  6. firm — a company
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. court — for sport
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. firm — decided
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wind — moving air

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