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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: court · bank · bowl · stick · press · track · suit · bat

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. court — of a king
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. track — a path
  16. court — for sport
  17. press — a publisher
  18. track — a song
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. court — of law
  21. press — to push
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bat — for baseball

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