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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
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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: kick · court · stock · suit · lie · march · coach · bay

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. march — music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. court — for sport
  6. march — the month
  7. stock — goods
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. court — of a king
  10. stock — shares
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. kick — in football
  19. court — of law
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lie — an untruth

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