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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: can · court · last · fall · ball · bass · file · firm

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — a tin
  4. court — of law
  5. can — to be able to
  6. court — of a king
  7. last — finally
  8. file — a tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — to go on
  16. court — for sport
  17. last — final
  18. firm — steady
  19. bass — low music
  20. firm — decided
  21. file — a document
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fall — the season
  24. firm — a company

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