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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · court · bowl · stick · pit · ball · scale · lean

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lean — thin
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ball — a dance
  9. court — of a king
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. court — of law
  14. pit — a hole
  15. scale — in music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ball — a great time
  22. spell — magic
  23. court — for sport
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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