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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.

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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: coach · lean · spell · mug · fork · net · court · ruler

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. court — for sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — a short time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a cup
  11. net — for catching
  12. mug — to rob
  13. spell — letters
  14. mug — a face
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. court — of law
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fork — to eat with

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