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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: court · can · chip · mark · stand · hide · mug · hand

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. court — for sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hand — help
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mug — a face
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mug — a cup
  20. court — of a king
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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