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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. track — a path
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — of law
  6. firm — decided
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. firm — steady
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spring — of water
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. track — a song
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. track — to keep track
  21. court — for sport
  22. spring — the season
  23. firm — a company
  24. court — of a king

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