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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.

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: wax · coach · cue · court · ground · fork · club · charge

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. court — for sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cue — a hint
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — of a king
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. club — for golf
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ground — a position
  20. court — of law
  21. club — a group
  22. charge — in control
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wax — to grow

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