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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: net · cap · bowl · wound · suit · ball · key · court

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — a hat
  7. net — after costs
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. court — for sport
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a great time
  15. net — in sport
  16. wound — an injury
  17. court — of law
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cap — a lid
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — clothes
  22. key — in music
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. court — of a king

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