ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

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: coach · fork · firm · chair · march · rush · suit · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. firm — decided
  3. fork — in a road
  4. suit — clothes
  5. court — of a king
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chair — a leader
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. firm — steady
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. march — the month
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — in cards
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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