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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: cell · court · mouse · net · ball · mug · pit · bowl

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. court — of a king
  3. net — for catching
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. court — for sport
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. net — after costs
  12. court — of law
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mug — a cup
  17. net — in sport
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. bowl — a football final

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