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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: court · board · toast · coach · saw · pit · wax · tube

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — of a king
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. toast — bread
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. court — of law
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — a committee
  21. tube — the underground
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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