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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: court · club · chip · toast · racket · cabinet · mark · spell

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mark — a grade
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. spell — magic
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. toast — bread
  14. spell — a short time
  15. club — a group
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chip — to eat
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. club — for golf
  22. chip — for betting
  23. spell — letters
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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