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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: coach · tube · ruler · lash · jam · court · chip · face

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. court — of law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. court — for sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chip — for betting
  24. jam — in traffic

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