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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.

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: board · racket · stand · lash · court · rock · net · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of a king
  3. board — a committee
  4. stand — to bear
  5. court — of law
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. net — after costs
  11. rock — a stone
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rock — music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — to get on
  24. court — for sport

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