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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: dip · ruler · kick · court · fine · coach · bear · net

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. net — after costs
  5. fine — all right
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. court — of a king
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fine — high quality
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — for sport
  18. kick — in football
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. net — for catching

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