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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
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: racket · can · row · stock · cell · fine · hide · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. can — to be able to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. can — a tin
  16. row — a line
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. court — for sport
  20. cell — a phone
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — in biology
  24. court — of law

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