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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: fine · ball · kick · dip · sharp · mug · roll · court

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. roll — a list
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fine — high quality
  7. court — of law
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mug — to rob
  10. court — of a king
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. court — for sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mug — a face
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. kick — in football
  22. sharp — clever
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fine — all right

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