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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. court — of a king
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. roll — a list
  7. net — in sport
  8. court — of law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. net — after costs
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pop — to visit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. court — for sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pop — soda
  23. net — for catching
  24. fan — a supporter

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