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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: coach · stick · march · nail · staff · wave · season · court

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. court — of a king
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — the month
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. staff — a stick
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. season — of the year
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. march — music
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. season — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. staff — employees
  24. march — the month

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