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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · pitcher · suit · stick · content · perch · ball · court

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bank — for money
  3. court — for sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. court — of a king
  6. ball — a dance
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. content — the amount
  9. court — of law
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ball — a great time
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bank — for money

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