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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.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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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: net · club · bear · lean · court · bore · object · coach

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — of law
  5. net — in sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. club — a group
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — to protest
  10. bear — the animal
  11. court — of a king
  12. bore — to drill
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. court — for sport
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. net — after costs
  17. club — for golf
  18. bore — to tire
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — an aim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — a thing
  24. lean — to bend

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