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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: bulb · court · stick · leaves · current · squash · coach · racket

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — happening now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. current — electric
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. current — of water
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. court — for sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. court — of law
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bulb — for light
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bulb — of a plant

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