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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: fine · court · mouse · field · suit · bound · spell · coach

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. court — for sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bound — certain
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — high quality
  12. field — farmland
  13. fine — all right
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bound — tied together
  17. spell — a short time
  18. field — for sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — of law
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — in cards
  23. court — of a king
  24. suit — to fit

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