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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.

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
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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: content · coach · saw · racket · spell · arm · court · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cue — a hint
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. content — the amount
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. court — for sport
  11. cue — a signal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — magic
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. court — of a king
  19. spell — letters
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — a short time
  22. court — of law
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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