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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 120 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
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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: mug · mine · stand · stick · court · game · bowl · sharp

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. court — of a king
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a cup
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — of law
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mug — a face
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mug — to rob
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mine — belonging to me

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