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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: stick · can · court · root · ball · bat · leaves · wake

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — of law
  6. ball — a dance
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. root — the cause
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. root — of a word
  21. court — for sport
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ball — a great time

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