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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · fan · arm · nail · net · court · game · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. game — a match
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — wild animals
  7. net — for catching
  8. court — for sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. court — of a king
  19. net — in sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of law
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bowl — a dish
  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