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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.

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: ball · mark · ruler · coach · row · wake · court · chip

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. wake — a trail
  3. court — for sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — to eat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. court — of law
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. chip — for betting
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a great time
  20. row — a line
  21. mark — a trace
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ruler — a monarch

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