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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: ball · shower · cue · foot · bowl · bank · stick · suit

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — a signal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — a hint
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. shower — rain
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — to fit
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. shower — to wash
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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