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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 120 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: bore · ball · net · swing · court · snap · mate · lie

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a dance
  3. net — for catching
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. net — in sport
  6. swing — music
  7. net — after costs
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mate — to breed
  12. court — of a king
  13. swing — to play on
  14. court — for sport
  15. bore — to tire
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. snap — to click
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. court — of law

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