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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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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: court · pop · suit · rock · ball · wake · stock · key

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — to visit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stock — shares
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pop — music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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