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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: stand · cell · suit · court · ball · deal · mate · stock

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. court — of a king
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stock — goods
  20. court — for sport
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mate — to breed
  23. court — of law
  24. ball — a dance

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