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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: spell · arm · ball · pit · court · bulb · leaves · band

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spell — a short time
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ball — a dance
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spell — magic
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a great time
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — of law
  21. pit — a hole
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. arm — part of the body

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