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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 116 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: lie · bowl · kick · suit · ball · sharp

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. kick — in football
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — to fit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards

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