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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cell · mark · kick · court · ball · suit

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. 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. cell — in a prison
  2. kick — in football
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — of law
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. court — for sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cell — in biology
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cell — a phone
  17. mark — a grade
  18. 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